SEOUL • In a new move which took effect yesterday, South Korean Internet giant Naver displayed the user names and comment histories of users who posted replies on news stories on its platform.
The company said the change is intended to prevent cyber bullying and abusive behaviour online.
Naver's anonymous comment system has often been criticised for allowing abusive and disparaging comments.
Before the latest changes, the user names of commenters were partially hidden, with only the first four digits visible. Users could also decide whether to show or hide their comment histories.
Naver's move came in the wake of the deaths of two singers, Sulli and Goo Hara, late last year.
Sulli took her own life at the age of 25 and was often the subject of hate comments over how she dressed and about being an outspoken feminist.
Goo, who was Sulli's friend, was found dead at her home in Seoul the following month.
Having been threatened by her ex-boyfriend with revenge porn, the 28-year-old singer had issued a plea for kinder words on social media. Her death also sparked a debate on the mental health of celebrities.
Naver's new system will allow all users to access commenters' user profile pages. Profile pages will show user names in full, along with comment histories and profile pictures.
The company will also impose a seven-day waiting period for comments from new users. This is to prevent people from creating multiple accounts just to post abusive comments.
However, users whose accounts have undergone real-name verification can write comments immediately.
Naver said it willRead More – Source
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